Something New
by Grendle1853
Summary: Takes place between 12 and 13 years after 'Hard Goodbye'.  Please Review!
1. Chapter 1

**Something New**

by Grendle1853

_**I own NOTHING!!! **__ Well I came up with one of the charracters, but the setting and most of the really good charracters are Frank's._

I'm in Old town again. Who knows why? _You know why your here Dwight. Gail_. I tell that voice in my head to just shut up for once. I keep walking, trying my best not to head in her direction. I look up every now and again to the roof tops. Deadly little Miho. Maybe not little anymore, she's... what in her mid twenties by now. Really a beautiful young woman. _Dirty old man._ Damn it I didn't mean it that way...really...and I'm not that old!

I sense something coming up the street. Every girl on the block is checking someone out. I turn to see what they're all excited about. This guy... he's weird. He stands slightly taller than me and he's built like Conan. Shoulder length dark blond hair hangs off his head, and he isn't a looker... his forehead runs strait down juts out into a nose, with deep set eyes on either side. He almost looks familiar, I just can't quite place him. Every girl looking at him looks kind of scared, they all make sure they're concealed weapons are close at hand.

"What's up with that guy?" a voice from behind me asks. Of course she would show-up. Damn it. I turn to look at her. She takes my breath away. Through all of the years she hasn't changed a bit. No that's wrong, she got even more beautiful. Damn it!

I try not to let too much show on my face before I turn back to the newcomer, "I don't know, but he doesn't seem like he's looking for a good time," I answer.

He certainly didn't. His eyes are serious as he scans the streets, but they hold no malice or fear in them. He isn't looking for a party, but he is looking for something.

Suddenly he stops. His posture straitens and his head slowly turns to the roof tops.

"Miho," I let her name whisper past my lips, as Gail follows my eyes. Miho's eyes are locked in a death grip with the stranger's. His face still doesn't hold any fear or malice. Just curiosity...

Miho's on the other hand...

"He's pissing her off. He's a dead man if he doesn't wise up and look away," Gail says. I start to step towards the guy, he might be weird but nothing I've seen means he deserves whats about to come down on him. Before I can even finish a step Gail grabs my arm and stops me, "Don't lover, it's safer for you to stay out of it," she tells me. I look back at the guy and size him up. He looks like a brick wall, carved to mostly human proportions and dressed in a baggy shirt, jeans, and steel toed boots. He could probably take on most of the thugs in Sin City, but Miho...poor bastard.

Miho takes out one of her throwing stars. "Its that swastika shaped one, she likes that one," Gail says.

"Its called a 'manji' actually," I tell her, she gives me an arched eyebrow. I turn back to the dead man, "Bye buddy."

Almost on cue, she lets the throwing blade fly. It spins through the air towards the stranger's throat. Then it suddenly stops...between his fingers. Me, Gail, and every girl on the street look at him in shock. I can't believe he just caught the thing out of thin air. I look back up at Miho, and she looks surprised. Miho NEVER looks surprised.

The stranger looks at the weapon in his hand, then up to deadly pixie who tossed it. His head cocks to the side, and a wicked grin curls on his lips.

Miho's face quickly turns from shock to murderous intent, then she jumps down to the street. She slowly draws out one of her swords and grips it in a steely two-handed grip. In answer he points the throwing star at her. I feel Gail begin to stir behind me. I place my hand on her's, the one that is holding her machine-gun. "Lover, I think it's safer for you to stay out of it," I tell her.

Miho silently rushes forward and swings her katana in a downward cut aimed for his head. He catches the blade between the prongs of the manji, then turns the throwing blade to the side and pulls, ripping the weapon from her hands. In the same movement he sends his left elbow into Miho's stomach with just enough force to knock her on her ass.

She quickly rolls back onto her feet, unleashing a handful of shuriken at him as she springs off the ground. The throwing stars, in all shapes and sizes, whistle through the air at the stranger. Using speed almost unimaginable for one of his size, her target uses the blade in his hand to deflect most of the deadly weapons. One however does manage to embed in the side of his skull. Without even a flinch, he calmly pulls the blade out of his head and drops it on the street.

"Yeesh," Gail and I say in concert.

Miho draws her other sword and holds it straight forward, pointing at her opponent, with her right hand. Her left takes hold of something at the small of her back. The stranger cracks his neck and waits. Miho charges, swinging her sword upwards at his face. I suspect him to dodge...he doesn't. He catches the blade of the sword with his bare left hand and uses his right bring the manji to bear on her throat. He stops right before cutting skin. Miho now has a nasty looking knife in her left hand, but that arms pulled way back ready to stab. He has her dead to rights. He has just single handedly defeated deadly little Miho. Defiantly a first.

The man looks deep into her beautiful eyes for a second. Then he lets go of the sword, drops the throwing star, turns his back, and begins walking back up the street. He doesn't get to for before every Old Town girl around aims a gun at him. He stops and heavily sighs, "Ah come on!" He feels the tip of Miho's sword tickle the back of his neck. He turns back and looks down at her...just before she pulls him into a passionate kiss.

"Whoa," is the only thing I can think to say. That makes it two firsts so far today.

"Looks like he found a good time," Gail remarks next to me.

Miho breaks contact, collects and sheathes her weapons, then quickly hops back into the darkness, leaving the guy stunned in the street. Gail's voice breaks him out of it, "What'ya looking for stranger?" she asks. He turn around and sizes me up. Then he slowly looks Gail up and down. I don't blame him: with the mohawk, the fierce eyes, the barely there get up, the body under the barely there get up: I slowly took that all in too. Her gun was surprising looking too. "Watch out how long you stare at me handsome, you might piss your new girlfriend off," she says.

"I'm looking for Wendy," he tells her. We both know who he's talking about.

"Why?" Gail questions him.

"She has something I need," he answers cooly.

"Yeah and what makes you think she is just going to give it to her," she fires back.

"I'm Cliff...her son," he says.

The remark makes Gail bursts into laughter, but it makes something click in my head. Now I know why he looks so familiar. "What was your dad's name," I ask him.

"Marv," he says. He looks proud of the fact and he says the name in reverence, like he was speaking the name of some epic hero.

"Marv," Gail giggles, "the Marv! He only met Wendy once and that was only..."

"A little over 12 years ago," I cut in.

Her eyes widen, "Your only 12 years old!" she yells in disbelief.

Cliff shrugs, "I'm almost 13," he says.

Gail just looks at me. "Lets take him to Wendy," I advise her.

We both lead him down the street. I glance at him over my shoulder, "Where did you learn to fight like that Cliff," I ask him.

"Don't know, that was the first real fight I've ever been in," he says nonchalantly.

Me and Gail share a look, "Must be in the genes," I mumble under my breath.

Gail smirks, "Was that your first kiss too?" she asks. Cliff blushes and looks at his feet.

Soon we make our way to Wendy's apartment door. Gail knocks. "I'm busy," Wendy says through the door.

"Its important," Gail says opening the door.

Inside Wendy is standing running her hand up and down the tie of a man sitting on her bed. She looks over, "What is it?" she asks.

"High mom," Cliff 'explains'. Wendy lets go of the man's tie and jumps back, shocked. The man on the bed looks over at Cliff. Then, shaking in fear, he begins to slink towards the door. Cliff stops him with a glare, "...thats a fine looking coat your wearing there," he tells the man. The man quickly strips, throws Cliff the trench coat, and bolts out the room. Cliff for his part casually slips the coat on.

"Like father like son," I say to Gail.

"Heathcliff what are you doing here," Wendy asks as she bandages the cuts on his hand and the side of his head. She really did look like a mother now. "Your supposed to be at your grandmothers."

"Grams died two years ago," he tells her, "and I need Gladys."

Wendy slowly goes to her dresser and pulls a gun out of a drawer. Marv's gun. She gives it to him. Cliff looks at the gun. He closes his eyes and holds the side of the barrel to his forehead. Then pockets it and looks back at his mother. Wendy is looking at him with tears in her eyes. In the coat he really does look like his dad. Cliff hugs her close. "I'm so sorry," she sobs.

"You don't have anything to be sorry about, mom. I love you," he kisses her forehead and looks down at her, "I'll see you again. As soon as I'm finished with this little thing I have to do," he promises.

With that he's out the door. Gail goes over to comfort her friend, and I follow Cliff out the building. "Where are you going?" I ask him.

"Got something I need to do Dwight," he answers. Funny. How does he know my name.

"Need a ride?"


	2. Chapter 2

I own nothing from Sin City.

The big brute sits next to me in silence. "You can put the radio on if you want," I tell him. He puts on a station that's all rock and metal. I turn the music down to human levels. He studies his father's gun. "You ever use one of those before?" I ask him.

Then like a pro, he removes the clip, checks it, slides it back in, pulls back on the slide, and takes off the safety. "Nope," he tells me.

A part of me really wishes he was being sarcastic. "So...how do you know my name?" I ask.

"After Grams passed, a girl named Nancy began taking care of me. She said that it was like repaying my dad in a way. He always took care of her. She used to strip in a bar you and dad hung out at," he answers.

"Kaddies," I say. Nancy, the angle stripper turned lawyer.

"Yeah. From how concerned you were for Miho and how tight you were with Gail, your the only person I could think you could be," he says.

I let his somewhat confusing words sink in. "Where are we going?" I ask.

"34th and Lindon," he tells me again.

I roll my eyes, "Yes I know. What are you going to do once we get there?"

"Kill some people," he answers nonchalantly.

"Why?" I ask him. "Do they have Nancy?"

"No, she's out of town right now. There is this girl, May, shes a runaway. Nancy had been letting her stay with us. Well today some guys came to our place to take her back to her parents. Guess she didn't run far enough," he says.

"Her parents coming to get her is...,"

"Her father rapes her. May's mom knows but she doesn't care. I care," he says.

I look into his eyes. He's still a kid. Still has a lot of innocence left. Innocence is a precious commodity in life, once you lose it you can never really get it back. "Have you ever killed anyone before?" I ask him, knowing the answer, "It isn't easy."

"I have too," he tells me.

As he sits there he closes his eyes and rubs a funny looking cross that he wears around his neck. "Praying for forgiveness already?" I ask him.

"Its not a cross. Its a hammer," he explains. Well he would have problems with the church wouldn't he, "and I'm not praying for forgiveness. I'm asking for them to watch."

Before I can ask him anything else we're there. He gets out of the car and enters the high rise. I follow him. We stroll through the lobby to the elevator. After the door closes he immediately press the button for the floor. "How do you know which floor?" I ask him.

"I got a hold on one of the guys that came for May. He was nice enough to answer a few questions before I let him go," Cliff explains.

My body tensed, afraid of an ambush. "You let him go?!" I ask him.

"Calm down Dwight. He won't be talking for a few months," he assures me.

The elevator keeps going up, pass the normal people. To the people that can afford a whole floor to themselves. People who can afford to hire guards and arm them. Arm them well. I pull out my guns and wait for the trouble to begin.

The door finally opens onto a narrow hallway. It only goes to one door, and in front of it sits a man holding a shotgun. Quickly and silently, Cliff zips down the hallway and takes him out. Cliff's about to break down the door, when I gently stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. Instead I softly knock on the door. The door opens revealing another guard, who blinks in surprise once before Cliff noiselessly pounces on him.

We continue into the condo. The place looks empty, there's no sign of another living soul. Until we catch two voices coming from the right. We find the door leading to the room the voices are coming from. We listen. "Go have fun, just make it quick. We have a party to go to tonight," a woman's voice says.

"Make it quick? I just got the little bitch back. I promised I would maker her suffer if she ever got away. You know I like to keep my promises," a man's voice answers. We hear two clicks, a door sliding open. Then the door sliding closed, and another two clicks.

All of a sudden the door that we're listening through opens. The beautiful woman who opened it blinks as three large handguns are pointed at her face. "Can I help you?" she asks.

"May, where is she?" Cliff asks.

She shrugs, "Turn that lamp and that door slides open. It leads to the room where he takes her. Please leave a recognizable corpse so it can be easier for me to get the life insurance," May's mother tells us.

"That lamp?" Cliff asks. She nods her head. Then Cliff shoots her in the face. As I stare wide eyed at the corpse he turns the lamp. After the door opens he turns back and looks at me, "You coming?" He asks.

We are down the hall and through the door quickly. In the room a young girl, May, is chained to the wall. A middle aged man stands naked in front of her, "I'm not to be disturbed," he says. Then he dies. Cliff starts firing, then I follow. Gladys and both my guns are empty before we're done.

Cliff walks over, unchains the girl, and wraps his coat around her. He then picks her up and carries her out of that hell hole.


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks for the reviews. I own nothing from Sin City. Except for Cliff, but Frank if you read this, It would be awesome if you used him.

We turn the car towards Nancy's. In the back seat May is wrapped up in Cliff's new coat. Next to me sits Cliff. He doesn't seem to have as much innocence as before, but he doesn't look worse. He looks more like someone who just had their cherry popped then someone who has committed murder for the first time. I don't know if thats a good thing.

"You said you wanted for them to watch?" I ask him.

"I thought they would enjoy the show," he answers.

"Whose they?" I ask.

"Cliff worships pagan gods. Thor, Odin..." May pipes up.

Thought the kid looked like a Viking. "You know your dad was a Catholic," I tell Cliff.

"Yeah, and he thought he was going to Hell too. I prefer to believe that the cosmos is not that fucked up," Cliff answers. He turns to the back seat, "You alright May?"

"Yeah. Better than I have been for a while. Thanks for saving me. Thank you for stopping them," she answers calmly.

When we pull up, Nancy is waiting outside. Even in the suit of a defense attorney you could see the angle form. Damn that woman looks beautiful no matter what she wears. As soon as May gets out she runs into Nancy's arms. Then we step out soon after. Nancy looks over me and Cliff. Cliff is still holding Gladys... "Heathcliff what did you do?" she asks him.

Cliff doesn't raise his eyes from the ground when he answers, "I killed some very bad men. No one else will be coming after May again."

Nancy throws an accusing eye at me, "What? I certainly couldn't have stopped him, so I went to make sure he came back from it in one piece. Besides it needed to be done."

Nancy sighs and looks down at the gun in Cliff's hand, "Is that your father's gun?" she asks. Cliff nods. "The police will be looking for that," she shakes her head slightly, "come on inside, we'll talk."

"I promised that I'd go see mom again. I have go do that first," he explains.

Nancy glares at him. The kid who had single handedly defeated Miho, is now shaken to his bones by the glare of a former stripper half his size. She points a finger at him and says, "You. Have. Better..."

"Ddddon't worry. I will. I'll be back here so fast you'll...You know, I'm going to be in the car. Dwight as soon as your ready we can go, so that we can get back," with that he hurried back into the car. Leaving me alone with Nancy great.

She turns her death glare on me, "Make sure he gets back here," she orders.

"Sure," with that I turn back to the car. Something stops me though, "Marv was my friend. You could have told me he had a son," I say.

"Yeah Marv was your friend, now that he's dead. You never thought twice about using him when he was alive though," she calmly tells me. _You know it wouldn't hurt so much if it wasn't true_, the voice tells me. I hate that its right. "Bring Cliff back to me, and watch him when he leaves, and maybe I'll think better of you Dwight. Come on May," with that Nancy and May go inside.

Before they leave though, May wordlessly hands me Cliff's Trench. "He always wanted one," she says.

With that I get into the car, throw cliff his coat, and start our way back to Old Town.


End file.
